43

The group of adventurers stopped in front of a corroded iron door that appeared to have been abandoned for centuries. The air emanating from the other side was thick and cold, heavy with the smell of dampness and something else... something metallic and slightly sulfurous. Eliana, the mage in the blue robe, extended her hand toward the door, but Darius, the warrior in silver armor, stopped her.

"Wait," Darius said in a firm voice. "We don't know what's on the other side. It could be another trap."

Eliana nodded, her expression showing a mixture of determination and caution. "I know, but we can't stay here forever. The shadow bats guided us to this point for a reason. Whatever's waiting down there, it's what we're looking for."

With a slight nod, Darius pushed the door, which creaked sharply as it opened. What they found on the other side confirmed their worst fears: the second floor of the dungeon was an even more dangerous and hostile place than the first. Anya, the thief with feline movements, shuddered as she felt the energy of the place. "There's something dark here," she murmured, her voice tinged with apprehension. "We should be careful."

The corridor that stretched before them was covered with slippery moss and roots intertwined like snakes. A faint greenish glow came from luminous mushrooms that grew on the walls, barely illuminating the path. The silence was sepulchral, broken only occasionally by the dripping of water that fell from the stalactites and crashed against a small underground lake in the center of the main chamber.

"This place looks like something out of a nightmare," murmured Kael, the young scout, as he inspected the ground carefully, feeling a cold sweat run down his back. "Every step we take could be a trap."

Darius unsheathed his sword, the blade of which glowed faintly under the light of the mushrooms. "Keep your eyes open. Don't trust anything you see here."

They advanced slowly, their footsteps muffled by the moss that covered the ground. On the walls, runes carved into the stone emitted a faint glow, as if they contained an ancestral energy ready to awaken. Eliana stopped in front of one of them, touching it cautiously, her furrowed brow reflecting her concentration.

"These runes... are related to the Life Flow," she said, with frustration at not being able to decipher them immediately. "I think they could be activated if someone touches them without knowing how to deactivate them."

"Let's not touch them, then," replied Mael, the veteran scout, adjusting his dagger in its sheath, with a look that denoted a mixture of caution and curiosity.

As they advanced, the ground beneath Kael's feet crunched subtly. Before he could react, a stalactite as sharp as a spear fell from the ceiling, grazing his arm and plunging into the ground with a dull thud. Kael turned pale, feeling the rush of wind from the stalactite as it passed, his heart pounding.

"Watch out!" Darius shouted, pushing Kael aside. "The ground is mined with traps!"

Mael approached quickly, examining the area carefully. "There are pressure plates hidden beneath the moss. If we step on one, more stalactites will fall."

Eliana closed her eyes, concentrating on the Life Flow that emanated from the environment. "I can feel the energy trail that connects these traps. Follow my steps exactly."

Guided by the mage, the group advanced with extreme caution, avoiding the areas marked by the Life Flow. However, the path became increasingly narrow and dangerous, forcing them to move in single file between the stalagmites and stalactites that rose like sharp teeth. The tension increased with every step, and the fear of triggering a trap became palpable in the atmosphere.

Finally, they reached the edge of the underground lake. The dark, stagnant water seemed to hide unspeakable secrets in its depths. Small, translucent creatures, similar to blind fish, swam beneath the surface, emitting a faint phosphorescent glow. A slight tremor in the water disturbed the calm, like a harbinger of what was to come.

"What are those things?" Kael asked, pointing at the creatures with a mixture of curiosity and fear.

"I don't know, but I don't like the way they move," replied Mael, tensing his bow, his gaze fixed on the water.

Suddenly, one of the creatures jumped out of the water, revealing sharp jaws and long fins that looked like claws. Before they could react, more creatures emerged from the lake, surrounding the group.

"Prepare to fight!" Darius shouted, brandishing his sword, with a roar that expressed his determination and courage.

The battle was swift but intense. The creatures were fast and difficult to hit, but their translucent skin made them vulnerable to precise attacks. Eliana cast fire spells that briefly illuminated the chamber, with an expression of fury on her face, while Mael fired arrows with lethal precision, with the concentration of a hunter. Darius protected Kael, who was trying to stay away from the water, with fear reflected in his eyes. Anya, with feline movements, dodged the creatures' attacks, looking for the opportune moment to strike.

However, just when it seemed that they had controlled the situation, a large shadow emerged from the bottom of the lake. It was a much larger creature, with tentacles that stretched toward them.

"Retreat!" Eliana ordered, raising a magical barrier to block the tentacles, with an expression of panic on her face.

After a hard fight, they managed to defeat the creature, but not without consequences. Kael had been injured, and everyone was exhausted, their breathing ragged and their bodies aching. They knew they couldn't stay there for long.

"We have to cross the lake," Eliana said, looking toward the other side, where a door partially covered with roots could be seen. "That must be the exit to the third floor."

"But how do we cross without those things attacking us?" Mael asked, pointing at the water with concern.

Eliana smiled weakly. "I think I have an idea. I'll need a few minutes to prepare a spell that will allow us to walk on water."

While the mage worked, the rest of the group watched the surroundings, aware that danger still lurked in every shadow. They knew that the second floor would not give them a break, but they also knew that they could not retreat. Whatever was waiting for them in the lower levels was closer than ever.